This Day in the 1960s

Watch the 1960s unfold day by day. A news feed for what happened 46 years ago today in the Cold War, politics, science, the arts, religion, leisure and society.

Friday, December 01, 2006

December 1, 1960: Red Dogs in Space, Nixon Picks up Votes in Illinois

"Reds Fire 2 Dogs into Space," reads a headline in today's Chicago Daily Tribune. Moscow radio had this announcement: "In accordance with the program of scientific research the third space ship was orbited as an earth satellite in the Soviet Union on Dec. 1. For medical-biological research in the conditions of space eight experimental animals -- dogs named Pehelka and Mushka -- have been placed in the cabin of the space ship. In the cabin there also are other animals, insects and plants."

"Vice President Nixon made a net unofficial gain of 1,214 votes thru a Republican comparison of actual voting machine figures with official canvass tallies," the Tribune said in a story prepared for publication tomorrow. "Ralph Berkowitz, an attorney aiding the G.O.P., said Nixon apparently can go on to carry Illinois on the paper ballot recount.

"Faced with the withholding of Illinois' 27 electoral votes from Sen. John F. Kennedy for President, Democrats here yesterday abruptly called off their slowdown in the 'discovery' recount of paper ballot precincts. New fires of controversy immediately flared over broken seals on ballot boxes and what happened to surplus ballots in each precinct."

"A southern plan to rally a block of 46 electoral votes to prevent Sen. John F. Kennedy's election as President is under way," the Tribune reported in another story for tomorrow's edition. "At least two prominent southern electors, leaders in the anti-Kennedy movement indicated Vice President Nixon could win the bloc's support if he softened his party's strong civil rights stand. This would give Nixon the 269 electoral votes needed for the Presidency, disregarding the possibility of his picking up Illinois' 27 votes on a recount."